Health Benefits Plan Overview

There are several different types of health benefits plans, programs, and accounts available to help you pay for medical costs and services. The pie chart above represents what type of insurance people carried in the United States in 2007. These percentages are based on information provided by the National Center for Health Statistics in a report titled Health, United States, 2009 with Special Feature on Medical Technology

Private Health Insurance Plans

Private Insurance plans can be obtained through an insurance broker or directly through a health insurance company. These are called individual plans. They can also be provided to an employee by an employer as a benefit to working for their company. These are called employer-based group plans. Most common private insurance plans are Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO) Plans, Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Plans, Point of Service (POS) Plans, Traditional Insurance Plans, and Major Medical Insurance Plans. Each plan varies in costs and coverage set forth by the providing health insurance company.

Additional types of health insurance plans include Special Needs Plans (SNP), Supplemental Plans, and Student Plans.

Health Care Government Programs

Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Plans (CHIP) are Federal and State health insurance programs for low-income people.

Medicare is available to you if you have been employed in the United States for at least 10 years, you are 65 years or older, and you are considered a United States citizen or permanent resident. You may also be eligible if you are disabled and receive Social Security Benefits or if you have End-Stage Renal Disease.

More information on Government Resources and Programs can be found on our site in the Government Resource Section-.

Health Care Savings Accounts

A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is setup through a cafeteria plan by an employer. Similar to an HSA, or Health Savings Account, an FSA allows an employee to automatically deduct an agreed amount from their gross wages (pre-tax) and deposit it to a special savings account to use for qualified expenses.

A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a special savings account available to United States taxpayers who are enrolled in a High Deductible Health (HDHP) Plan. Money that you contribute to the HSA is not subject to federal income tax at the time of deposit.